Today's question: Before I replace my showerhead, how do I measure how fast my shower is using water?

"Plain Talk" answer: First, know that the water coming from a low-flow showerhead should not exceed 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) per minute. Next, get a bucket and a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand. Make sure the bucket has a 1-gallon (3.8-liter) mark on it. If it doesn't, add a gallon of water and mark the level. Set the shower flow just as you would when showering. Catch all the water in the bucket for 24 seconds. If after that time, the water level is near the 1-gallon mark, your showerhead is flowing at the recommended amount. If the level is over the 1-gallon mark, replace your showerhead with a new low-flow model.

For more information on this and many other water-related topics, check out "Plain Talk About Drinking Water" by Dr. James M. Symons.